Good eats

Ready for a cheap lunch that shows off some foodie flair? Then get out your phone (or pop open your laptop) to find our favorite Midwest food trucks. Spicy ethnic dishes, farm-fresh veggies and sweet treats are just a click away.

Hundreds of these trucks share tacos, crepes, pizzas, loaded mac 'n' cheese and seasonal specialties from brightly painted setups that wander like nomads throughout Midwest cities. The mostly seasonal trucks evoke the casual ease of roadside fruit stands—no dress codes, no wait for a table and a perfect chance to chat up the chefs about ingredients.

Food trucks can be unpredictable, setting up on this corner on Tuesday, in that park on Thursday. But most keep their fans in the know by posting their schedules on websites, or updating their whereabouts on Facebook or Twitter.

For truck fans, walking along unexplored city streets or through a favorite park to find it is as much a part of the dining experience as the actual food. The dishes are fast food, but the chefs behind the wheel hope you'll savor your meal slowly.

Truck lunches to try

Check out the food truck stars on this and the following two slides. Nearly all the food trucks have Facebook pages, too.

Fast Foodie, Milwaukee (pictured) Global tacos—or, to use the chef's parlance, globacos—stuff the best flavors from Jamaican, Puerto Rican or even Greek food into the tasty confines of a soft tortilla. Paired with homemade potato chips, it's a world tour without ever leaving Wisconsin. (414) 477-8521; thefastfoodieonline.com

Hummingbird Kitchen, Evanston, Illinois The menu at this Chicago-area truck isn't huge—just two sandwiches plus a salad and fries. But the lamb sandwich with sauteed escarole and sweet caramelized onions is tender, flavorful and worth the trek. (847) 475-6680; hummingbirdkitchen.com

Dandelion, Madison, Wisconsin Trust us on Dandelion's baked tofu sandwich. One look at this two-hands-required monster stuffed with colorful veggies, and the bland name won't matter. Leave room for the homemade peanut butter cup for dessert. facebook.com/dandelionfoodcart

Satellite Crepes, Milwaukee Dirk Werderich pours a pool of batter, and it sizzles furiously. The fillings come flying: shreds of mozzarella; slices of juicy, red tomato; bright green leaves of basil; and a spritz of garlicky oil, all landing on the cooked crepe in a Jackson Pollock-like jumble. A few flips of a spatula, and the mess folds into a tidy, golden triangle, crispy along the edges and soft in the middle. (414) 807-2320; satellitecrepes.com

More top picks

Pi on the Spot, St. Louis (pictured) It seems like heresy: four types of Chicago-style deep-dish pizza in a town known for thin crust. But you won't be able to resist the cornmeal crust with toppings, cheese and sauce piled on, in that order. pi-pizza.com

The Southern Mac and Cheese Truck, Chicago As if mac and cheese wasn't delectable enough, this truck sells pasta loaded with toppings. Try the truffle white cheddar or the Mexican chorizo with pepper Jack cheese. thesouthernmac.com

C-Town Chow Down, Cleveland One Saturday each month, several of the city's food trucks swarm to a single location, creating a buffet of incredible variety. Visitors might find dim sum, barbecue, Moroccan stew or cupcakes. facebook.com/ctownchowdown

Dim and Den Sum, Cleveland Get to this truck early for the best selection; even then, expect to wait a while in line for the signature PBLT, a dumpling made with pulled pork, bacon, lettuce, tomato and spicy sriracha. (216) 771-4000; dimanddensum.com

Midwest Living® tip: If you don't want to chase a food truck, plan to visit when a bunch of them park together. Cleveland, Kansas City and Ann Arbor, Michigan, all have one-stop grazing.